More seniors passing exit test / Success rate in S.F. up 1 percent over same time last year

Slightly more California high school seniors this year have passed the high school exit exam, which is required for a diploma.

So far, 390,697 students -- about 91 percent of this year's 428,000 seniors -- have passed the test of basic reading and math skills, state schools Superintendent Jack O'Connell announced Monday.

Last year at this time, 388,930 students -- about 89 percent of the 437,000 seniors in the Class of 2006 -- were successful.

It means that this year so far, 1,767 more seniors have put that graduation hurdle behind them.

"This is good news," O'Connell said, noting that similar improvements were evident for every ethnic and economic group of students.

Pass rates for individual school districts will be reported later this summer, O'Connell said.

In San Francisco, however, 89.9 percent of the 4,119 students in the Class of 2007 passed the test as of February, up from 88.9 of Class of 2006 at this time last year.

Within the district, this year's pass rates ranged from 99.8 percent at Lowell High, to 73 percent at Mission High.

All high school students have six chances to pass the test from 10th grade to graduation day, and unlimited chances after that. The current numbers reflect pass rates through February. New figures also will be reported next month for students who took the test in March, and later in the summer for the test to be given in May.

Those summer results will be too late for graduation ceremonies.

As of today, 33,777 students in the Class of 2007 still need to pass the exam.

That's lower than the total number of students in the Class of 2006 who have never managed to pass the exit exam -- about 39,000. Of those former students, O'Connell said, about 45 percent are still trying to pass.

That leaves about 21,500 people from last year's class -- 5 percent of the total -- without a diploma and, apparently, not trying to get one.

State records show that would have been a typical total for those not receiving a diploma even before the exit exam was required.

Meanwhile, each demographic group of students showed improved pass rates over last year.

Black students made the greatest gains, improving their pass rate by 4.5 percentage points, to 85.6 from 81.1 percent.

"It's very good news -- it's exactly the progress we hoped to see," said Russlynn Ali, executive director of Education Trust West in Oakland, a group devoted to closing the achievement gap among ethnic groups. "It means that school districts, teachers, administrators and students themselves are really taking the test seriously."

So did state lawmakers, who this year tripled the money to nearly $70 million for tutoring and other extra help for students to pass the test. That translates to $500 per pupil in every school where seniors need more help to pass.

In addition, last spring an anti-exit exam lawsuit -- Valenzuela vs. California -- made it uncertain whether students would actually have to pass the test to get a diploma. In fact, the requirement was off-again, on-again after the lawsuit won an early victory in court.

But by the time most students were ready to graduate, the courts had upheld the exam. Today, the lawsuit is still alive -- though its purpose is now focused on improving pass rates rather than eliminating the exam.

The suit, on behalf of California's low-income students and English learners, argued that it was unfair to hold all students to the same graduation requirements when the quality of their education is unequal.

Except for students with disabilities, who are presently exempt from the exit exam requirement, low-income students and English learners continue to have the lowest pass rates of all groups.

This year, just 85.4 percent of low-income seniors have passed the exit exam so far, up from 82.7 percent at this time last year.

Among English learners, 72.6 percent have so far passed this year. That's up from 71.2 percent last year.

A tentative agreement in the suit was reached in March, said the students' lead attorney, Arturo Gonzalez of San Francisco.

Although the parties are not permitted to elaborate on the details of the agreement, Gonzalez said, "We're cautiously optimistic that the tentative settlement would provide students with the additional instruction they need to pass the test and get their diploma."

PASS RATES BY CATEGORY
Here are California high school seniors' pass rates on the exit exam
-- required for graduation -- this year versus last year. Students have
several chances to pass the test. These figures reflect tests taken through
February. As of today, 33,777 students in the Class of 2007 still need to pass
the exam -- already fewer than the 39,000 students in the Class of 2006 who
still have not passed the basic reading and math test.
Percentage passed Percentage passed
as of Feb. 2006 as of Feb. 2007
Subgroup Class of 2006 Class of 2007
All students 89.3% 91.4%
Female 89.7% 92.1%
Male 88.8% 90.6%
Asian 94.6% 95.4%
Hispanic 82.5% 85.9%
African American 81.1% 85.6%
White, non-Hispanic 96.5% 97.0%
English learner 71.2% 72.6%
Economically disadvantaged 82.7% 85.4%